Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does browning butter make a difference in cookies? ›

As you melt butter in a hot skillet and then let it bubble, its amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) react with its sugars to create new, nutty-flavored, brown-colored (and very delicious) compounds that add even more flavor to the classic snickerdoodle.

Let the brown butter cool sufficiently.

Using hot, melted butter will yield greasy dough and cause the cookies to spread too much when baked. By allowing the butter to solidify before adding it to the dough, you're able to bake the cookies immediately—no chill time required.

Use room temp ingredients.

After browning your butter, make sure it's cool enough to touch before adding it to your dough. I usually set it aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before making the recipe.

How do you know when the cookies are baked? The snickerdoodle cookies will only take about 10 to 12 minutes to bake, so be sure to keep your eye on them! It's best to rotate the cookies after about 6 minutes so that the cook evenly. The cookies are done when the edges are just set and the centres are soft and cracked.

Most importantly, browned butter adds rich nutty flavour to cookies. It also reduces the free moisture in the cookie recipe to make them extra dense and chewy. It's important to have a balance though, because if there isn't enough moisture, then cookies can be dry.

With less water, you also end up with less gluten development, thus a cookie made with browned butter is softer and more tender than one made with creamed or plain melted butter.

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Coating your baking sheet with nonstick spray or butter creates an overly greasy foundation, causing the cookies to spread. I always recommend a silicone baking mat because they grip onto the bottom of your cookie dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much.

As butter melts, it will begin to foam. Watch butter closely. The color will progress from a bright yellow to a golden tan, then quickly to a deep golden brown. When you smell a nutty aroma, butter is deep golden brown and browned milk solids appear in bottom of pan, take pan off the heat.

It's important to remove the butter from the heat as leaving it in the hot pan or on the stove can push it over the edge from deliciously golden brown to burnt. If your butter goes too far and burns sadly there is no saving it.

Can I refrigerate brown butter? ›

You can (and should!) make brown butter in advance and store it until needed. Pour brown butter into a heat-safe bowl, then after it cools to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container. Brown butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months.

Brown butter, or beurre noisette, is a sauce classically used in French cuisine, where it's paired with both savory and sweet dishes. In French, the name translates to hazelnut butter which is indicative of its nutty, toasted flavor and aroma.

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry.

Temperature. Dough that is too warm or soft will spread more than dough that is cooler, so if you're working in a very warm kitchen, putting your dough in the fridge for 15 minutes or longer before using it will help prevent spread. Butter that is too warm or soft is also a major culprit.

Browned butter can add a subtle nutty flavor to baked goods (like chocolate chip cookies) and pan sauces, it makes roasted vegetables taste decadent and rich, and it's excellent in a cake frosting.

Brown butter adds a rich, slightly nutty, caramel flavor to baked goods that makes everything extra delicious.

Browned butter adds a rich, complex flavor to any dish and, although it may sound intimidating, it's actually a very simple process. With a few quick tips, you'll soon be on your way to adding this nutty flavor and aroma to a variety of baked goods and meals in your very own kitchen.

During the process of browning, much of the water evaporates from the butter. So if you start out with 1 cup of butter, you'll be left with just a hair over 3/4 cup of butter. You'll lose a couple tablespoons in the process. This is the evaporating effect.